kzr750r1 Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 You either have a leak or air is still in the system. Did you go to a parking lot and do some slow lock to lock figure eight? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaugranamd Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 You either have a leak or air is still in the system. Did you go to a parking lot and do some slow lock to lock figure eight? Yup, exacerbated/brought out the problem. Popped it back up on the jack stands, ran it through the engine off, lock to lock, crank engine (plug wires pulled), lock to lock, crank... repeat about 10 times. Got a good amount of bubbles out initially. What has me more worried is even with it running quietly, there's a pretty intense "shudder" moving the wheels slowly with the engine one while on the jack stands. i had a video but my phone destroyed it. Is it time to throw in the towel and get the pump swapped out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kzr750r1 Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Is this the procedure your using? http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/howto-replace-power-steering-fluid-15-minutes-172976.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaugranamd Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 No, this technique. http://strongforsubaru.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/How_to_bleed_Subaru_Power_Steering_systems.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kzr750r1 Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 You started it at one point sending air all through the system. You need to get it out before throwing in the towel. Go get a length of hose and a male to male barb coupler. Drop that fluid and air out of the entire system and into your oil tray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaugranamd Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 Doesn't this system bleed itself though? Turning the wheel with the wheels up runs fluid without pressure through the system and the bubbles just rise out on the reservoir? I ran that fluid through probably a dozen times? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkycharms Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 Welp, changed my o-ring, but I still get a scream during the first 10sec of warmup, sometimes longer depending on temps. I have a leak somewhere in the system, I am constantly topping off fluid. Another project for another day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyShackleford Posted April 19, 2018 Share Posted April 19, 2018 By the way, anyone decides they need to replace their pump, and wants to go with one from a junker ... do NOT buy it from LKQ. In fact, don't buy anything from those douche-wads. I called them, they said yes, we have one here from a car with 60,000 miles. I said great, ship it. When I got the invoice, it said the car actually had well over 100,000 miles. I called 'em and they said oh we don't guarantee the mileage on anything but power train. WTF ? They wouldn't even pay the return shipping, though they "graciously" waived the re-stock fee. And I had to call them back a couple times to actually get my refund. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outahere Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 I have an accumulation of some kind of fluid, either engine oil or PS fluid that is on my pump and collecting on the timing belt cover, so I'm not certain where it's originating from. AFAIK, the pump is original with 123k miles on it, so I'm going to replace the O-ring anyways, but I'm curious to see if this is a common issue with leakage. Same here, with 64,000 miles on the original pump. I don't see any leaks at the hose connections, or the shaft seal, or the pressure switch. No leak at the nearby oil pressure sender. It's a mystery. No bubbles in the reservoir, and no abnormal sensations in the steering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoozeRS05 Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 The leak comes from the hose feeding the PS pump from the top. If you remove the single 10mm? bolt and pull the hose upward, you'll see an oring that's likely kinked or broken. Very simple. EB's Subaru journal - 2005 LegacyGT Wagon & 2014 Forester FB25 (2008 specB - RIP) IG@legacygtliving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outahere Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 Best part of SBT tip is the free play measurement. Not many of us are going to have the tool to measure belt tension. A Gates "Krikit" belt tension tool is only around $14, or less. https://www.amazon.com/Gates-91132-Belt-Tension-Tester/dp/B000CRDLZM/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1541595670&sr=1-2&keywords=krikit+belt+tension+gauge&dpID=413uQEAqFqL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apexi Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 I got that tool years ago, and I'm probably just using it wrong, but I could not get a consistent reading at all with that thing. I just gave up and checked how many mm's of belt deflection I had where the fsm says to check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kzr750r1 Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 A Gates "Krikit" belt tension tool is only around $14, or less. https://www.amazon.com/Gates-91132-Belt-Tension-Tester/dp/B000CRDLZM/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1541595670&sr=1-2&keywords=krikit+belt+tension+gauge&dpID=413uQEAqFqL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch I just keep going till it stops squealing. Just replaced my alternator. Had an issue where when cold the belt would squeal before... Now not so much. Just creep up on it so it's tight enough but not too tight. Thanks for this. Next time I have 20 bucks burning a hole in my pocket I'll add this to the tool box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outahere Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 Here is a link to a short video on how to correctly use the Krikit: http://www.daycoproducts.com/dayco-krikit-tension-gauge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithcraft Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 Direct link to the PDF Revised this PDF to include updated P/Ns for O-Ring, OEM Fluid and Belt Tensioning specs for both new and used belts. When I try to get that PDF, it just gives me a 1x1 pixel. SC 1994 Legacy MI 2008 Legacy GT specB 2023 Crosstrek Limited Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xt2005bonbon Posted April 9, 2020 Share Posted April 9, 2020 Not sure if someone will reply here, but... apart from that oring failing overtime, is there any other oring on the pump that is likely to fail? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoozeRS05 Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 Idk the immediate answer, but I replaced the infamous o-ring recently on my specB, and I'm still getting steering chatter/surge. Fluid is full and belts are tight. Rotated the wheel from lock to lock a couple times now. The rack underneath is very leak prone, good place to check. Although, mine looks dry. I'd love to get this fixed without replacing the pump entirely. I've read recently that the +15 STi steering pump is a direct replacement and might even be an upgrade. EB's Subaru journal - 2005 LegacyGT Wagon & 2014 Forester FB25 (2008 specB - RIP) IG@legacygtliving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xt2005bonbon Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 Is your pump completely dry now? I am also replacing the hose because the old one is way too hard now, and the clamp just can't keep it sealed anymore. Maybe that's your problem too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoozeRS05 Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 I don't see new fluid coming from the top of the pump anymore, but I don't know if the pump is dry. Sure hope not. When I replaced the o-ring recently there was plenty of fluid coming out of the pump, but everything was saturated with fluid around it. Needs cleaned up badly still. Issues seemed to get a little better right after, but now it's probably as bad as it's ever been. Need to figure this out. EB's Subaru journal - 2005 LegacyGT Wagon & 2014 Forester FB25 (2008 specB - RIP) IG@legacygtliving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoozeRS05 Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 I recently took a look at my PS belt and it's in shit shape on the inside. Must have missed it when I replaced the motor, but hopefully that's my issue. EB's Subaru journal - 2005 LegacyGT Wagon & 2014 Forester FB25 (2008 specB - RIP) IG@legacygtliving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senseless1 Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 Thanks for answering my slightly off topic question. I like that the OEM fluid starts out clear and darkens as it gets contaminated, so I will probably pick some up from the dealer. Don't worry the red stuff turns black too lol just give it more time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoozeRS05 Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 Yep, mine was just the belt. It was missing section of teeth and belt was stripping as I took it off. EB's Subaru journal - 2005 LegacyGT Wagon & 2014 Forester FB25 (2008 specB - RIP) IG@legacygtliving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xt2005bonbon Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 Well, it is a good thing that you caught this now. It could have potentially be more $$ of a fix if it ripped while driving! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoozeRS05 Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 I don't think it was gonna come apart on me, but agreed I'm glad I caught it and have working PS again. EB's Subaru journal - 2005 LegacyGT Wagon & 2014 Forester FB25 (2008 specB - RIP) IG@legacygtliving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impatient Posted November 15, 2020 Share Posted November 15, 2020 (edited) Don’t know how I missed this thread initially, but finally found it. My car was at the dealer to get the airbag recall taken care of. I dithered for months not wanting them touching it, but finally did. Of course they had a $4000 laundry list of things I should take care of, besides the airbag(free). So in a way, they did me a favor, pointing me to a couple issues, though I won’t get into my gripes with the dash (airbag) service itself. Anyway, they said I needed a new PS pump ($1250). Indeed, it was pretty gunked up, and I wasn’t paying attention since it’s hidden under the turbo’s engine cover. So cleaned it up, and sure enough, there was a slight leak around the hose elbow on the top. It was so slight that driving it around a little produced no new wetness. But sitting overnight did. Coldness??? This is the low pressure side. So put my shade tree mechanic’s pants on and splurged on a new o-ring from the dealer. New=red (orange), old= black. New might be slightly thicker, but old did not look decayed. It’s possible the old is only 40k miles old, since that’s when timing belt, water pump, pulleys were replaced. 136k on car now. Made a slight mess, but had stuffed some plastic bags over the belts and pulleys. I had twisted the hose to where it drained into a pasta sauce jar (cleaned of course) that could nestle between the radiator and the passenger fender, down low. Eventually, the reservoir was drained. But I did not attempt Deer Killer’s flush. The fluid looked brand new, clean as a whistle, but frankly, I can’t remember having it flushed by a shop...maybe awhile back, or when the timing belt was serviced...or maybe 70k miles ago??? In the last 2-3 yrs I’ve had to top off the reservoir to counteract the leak, though I didn’t know where it was coming from. All in all, I had used maybe 1/4-1/3 qt of. valvoline MaxLife synthetic ATF. Today, I tried putting the o-ring into the pump recess first, but ended up putting it on the elbow (slightly, not snugged), then inserting the elbow into the pump body, then clinching down. Filled up the reservoir to the Max cold line, then went for a couple figure eights at steering lock in a nearby parking lot. Felt fabulous, but then it only felt bad before when it would get low (3-4 times over last 2-3 years, as mentioned above). I will try to keep an eye out for further issues, but at the moment, I feel like I saved $1248. Thanks to you LegacyGT guys (or girls)!!!!!! Edited November 15, 2020 by Impatient Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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